


The Things He Didn't Say

by colieb2183



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Feels, M/M, end of season 7
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-18 21:36:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16127213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/colieb2183/pseuds/colieb2183
Summary: Shiro watches as Black crashes back into Earth.





	The Things He Didn't Say

**Author's Note:**

> This plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone. So now you all get to cry with me. Unbeta-ed and I cranked it out in like an hour. Any mistakes are my own.
> 
> This was inspired by this utterly gorgeous piece of art by tragedy machine. Please go check it out! [Nothing Fucks With My Baby](http://tragedy-machine.tumblr.com/post/178192192442/nothing-fucks-with-my-baby-thanks-to-arahir-for)

The crew of the Atlas watches, spellbound, as the streak of light shoots into space with all of the brilliance of creation. Shiro can’t breathe. Paladins… what are they doing? Where are they going? Keith…

No one speaks.

Higher and higher they climb. The incredible power of the atmosphere burns around them, streaks of flame around the incandescent blue of their ascent. Shiro is frozen as they disappear from view. Comms are down. There’s nothing he can do. Nothing. Then, the heart-wrenching flare of a star burning out. No. The icy certainty of despair creeps like hoarfrost up his spine. They didn’t…

Vibrant meteorites of color streak towards the Earth. Is he bearing witness to their death? The end of Voltron? He grips the control panel of the Atlas. With all of the supremacy of the mech under his fingertips, he is powerless as his eyes follow the trail of purple until it crashes into the crust of the Earth. A whirlwind of emotions rips through him. Rage, grief, destitution, pain. Regret. No…he never got to tell him. Why did he wait? _Why?_ He knows better.

Horrified silence.

“Coran,” he barks, “Coordinate rescue efforts for the Paladins. I’m going after Black.”

“Aye Captain.”

No one mentions that these efforts are likely recovery, not rescue. The probability of surviving the blast, re-entering the atmosphere, and crashing into the Earth at terminal velocity – Shiro shakes his head. That way lies madness.

Medevac units are already swarming the site when Shiro tears in on a hoverbike. The wreckage of Black lies crumpled on the ground, singe marks blackening her sides from her reentry into Earth’s atmosphere. Smoke curls in lazy tendrils. Shiro knows what level of heat the incorrect speed and angle of entry can generate. It’s enough to cook a man alive. Corpsmen and mechanics are frantically trying to open her jaws, every second counts. They’re losing precious time.

Shiro swings his leg over, dismounting, and runs. There has to be chance. However small. Black protected him, why would she abandon Keith? He screams an order to fall back. A tense hush falls over the gathered soldiers.

Closing his eyes, he desperately reaches out to the Black Lion in his mind. He’s no longer her Paladin, but he can still feel her. A vast consciousness brushes up against his own. A soft, pained roar. _Please. Let me in. Let me save him._ Her jaw shudders open. His men hesitate and Shiro launches himself inside.

Keith’s body sags against the back of his pilot seat. Arms dangling. Cracks spiderwebbing across the front of his visor. Shiro can’t tell if his chest is moving. Panic swirls, threatening to drown him. The cockpit is sweltering. He needs to get Keith out of here.

Mission mode snaps in. Calm, collected and analytical.

He gently removes Keith’s helmet. So, so careful not to jostle his neck. Blood. Trailing from his nose, mouth, ears. Massive head trauma. Checks for a pulse. It’s there, faint, but still beating. He should wait for a board to ensure no additional spinal trauma. It’s too hot. He can’t.

Carefully he scoops Keith’s limp body into his arms, cradling him carefully. Keith’s head rests against his chest, inky eyelashes fan over his cheeks, mouth open. Fuck, hold on. The backboard is awaiting him once he reaches the open maw of the lion.  

The corpsmen waste no time strapping Keith down with a neckbrace on, then hurtle across the landscape to the nearby emergency helicopter. Shiro swings in with them. The medics briefly protest, and are quickly silenced by the look of hard determination in Shiro’s eyes.

He keeps out of their way as the helicopter lifts. They strip Keith's armor, slip in an IV, clip a heartrate sensor on his finger. The monitor beeps…slowly… too slowly.

The adrenaline leaves Shiro’s body, leaving behind a shaky, freezing mess stretched across overexposed nerves. He’s gonna be ok. They got him. He’s going to be fi –

_Beeeeeeeeeeeeeep_

No….Keith. NO.

The medics are springing into action, bringing out paddles, screaming words that no longer make sense. Shiro stares. He never –

Keith’s chest jumps with a jolt of electricity.

He never told him. He never said “I love you” back.  

Again. The monitor continues its solemn song.

He never told him about how his eyes swam with the depth of the cosmos. How he got lost in them. Shiro stares. Chest heaving brokenly.

He never…

The monitor beeps out a rhythm.

Shiro’s breath catches.

“He’s back. Almost back to base – ”

Shiro can’t hear the rest. His entire being rests on the rise and fall of Keith’s chest and the steady beep of the monitor.


End file.
